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Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Surveys, Studies, Investigations and Special Purpose Grants within the Office of Research and Development

Number: 66.510

Agency: Environmental Protection Agency
Office: Office of Research and Development (ORD)

Program Information

Program Number/Title (010):

Federal Agency (030):

Authorization (040):

Safe Drinking Water Act, Section 1442, 93 U.S.C 523; Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, Public Law 94-580, 42 U.S.C 6981; Solid Waste Disposal Act, Section 8001, 42 U.S.C 6981; Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act, Section 203; Toxic Substances Control Act, Section 10, Public Law 94-469, 15 U.S.C 2601; Clean Water Act, Section 104, Public Law 95-217, 33 U.S.C 1251; Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 , Section 311; National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, Section 102(2(F); Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, Public Law 92-516, 7 U.S.C 136r&136u; Clean Air Act, Section 103, Public Law 95-95, 42 U.S.C 7401; Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, Public Law 94-140, 7 U.S.C 136; Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, Public Law 95-396, 7 U.S.C 136.

Objectives (050):

To (1) support surveys, studies and investigations and special purpose assistance to determine the environmental effects of air quality, drinking water, water quality, hazardous waste, toxic substances, and pesticides (2) identify, develop, and demonstrate effective pollution control techniques; and (3) fund innovative regional projects that address a stated problem or opportunity relating to sustainability and use science to inform design, planning and decision-making at the local, state and industrial levels.

FY 2016 priorities include conducting air quality research, improving the science behind risk assessment, water quality research, drinking water research, research to improve human health and the environment, and research related to Homeland Security. Surveys, studies, and investigations to determine the environmental effects of air quality, drinking water, water quality, hazardous waste, toxic substances, endocrine disrupting chemicals, and pesticides will also be funded under this category. Additionally, this funding priority provides support for conferences relating to the areas above.

FY 2017 priorities include conducting air quality research, improving the science behind risk assessment, water quality research, drinking water research, research to improve human health and the environment, and research related to Homeland Security. Surveys, studies, and investigations to determine the environmental effects of air quality, drinking water, water quality, hazardous waste, toxic substances, endocrine disrupting chemicals, and pesticides will also be funded under this category. Additionally, this funding priority provides support for conferences relating to the areas above.

Types of Assistance (060):

Uses and Use Restrictions (070):

Funds awarded via grants/cooperative agreements are available for allowable direct cost expenditures incident to performance plus allocable portions of allowable indirect costs of the institutions, in accordance with the established policies of EPA. Assistance agreement awards under this program may involve or relate to geospatial information. Further information regarding geospatial information may be obtained by viewing the following website: https://www.epa.gov/geospatial.

Grant recipients and sub-recipients are encouraged to adopt and enforce policies that ban text messaging while driving company-owned or -rented vehicles or government-owned vehicles, or while driving privately-owned vehicles when on official government business or when performing any work for or on behalf of the government. Grant recipients and sub-recipients are encouraged to conduct initiatives of the type described in section 3(a) of the Federal Leadership on Reducing Text Messaging While Driving Executive Order that was signed on October 1, 2009. Generally this program makes Federal awards on a discretionary basis. For further information, please contact the Headquarters or regional office.

Eligibility Requirements (080)

Applicant Eligibility (081):

For certain competitive funding opportunities under this CFDA description, the Agency may limit eligibility to compete to a number or subset of eligible applicants consistent with the Agency's Assistance Agreement Competition Policy.
These programs are available to each State, territory and possession, and Tribal nation of the U.S., including the District of Columbia, for public and private State universities and colleges, hospitals, laboratories, State and local government departments, other public or private nonprofit institutions, and in some cases, individuals or foreign entities. Profit-making firms are not eligible to receive assistance agreements from the EPA under this program.

Eligible nonprofit organizations include any organizations: 1) Are operated primarily for scientific, educational, service, charitable or similar purposes in the public interest; 2) Are not organized primarily for profit; and 3) Use its net proceeds to maintain, improve, and/or expand its operations. . However, nonprofit organizations described in Section 501(c) (4) of the Internal Revenue Code that lobby are not eligible to apply.

National laboratories funded by Federal Agencies (Federally-Funded Research and Development Centers, "FFRDCs") may not apply. FFRDC employees may cooperate or collaborate with eligible applicants within the limits imposed by applicable legislation and regulations. They may participate in planning, conducting, and analyzing the research directed by the applicant, but may not direct projects on behalf of the applicant organization. The institution, organization, or governance receiving the award may provide funds through its assistance agreement from the EPA to an FFRDC for research personnel, supplies, equipment, and other expenses directly related to the research. However, salaries for permanent FFRDC employees may not be provided through this mechanism.

Federal Agencies may not apply. Federal employees are not eligible to serve in a principal leadership role on an assistance agreement, and may not receive salaries or augment their Agency's appropriations in other ways through awards made under this program.

The applicant institution may enter into an agreement with a Federal Agency to purchase or utilize unique supplies or services unavailable in the private sector to the extent authorized by law. Examples are purchase of satellite data, chemical reference standards, analyses, or use of instrumentation or other facilities not available elsewhere. A written justification for federal involvement must be included in the application. In addition, an appropriate form of assurance that documents the commitment, such as a letter of intent from the Federal Agency involved, should be included.

Beneficiary Eligibility (082):

Credentials/Documentation (083):

Application and Award Process (090)

Preapplication Coordination (091):

Regarding pre-application/pre-proposal assistance with respect to competitive funding opportunities under this program description, EPA will generally specify the nature of the pre-application/pre-proposal assistance, if any, that will be available to applicants in the competitive announcement. For additional information, contact the individual(s) listed as "Information Contacts" or see Appendix IV of the Catalog. When applicable, an environmental impact assessment is made by the Office of Research and Development as required by the National Environmental Policy Act. The standard application forms as furnished by the EPA and required by OMB Circulars No. A-102 and No. A-110 must be used for this program. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review. An environmental impact assessment is required for this program. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.

Application Procedures (092):

2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program.
Competitive RFAs (requests for applications) or RFIPs (requests for initial proposals) for grants in these areas are announced widely through the Internet, university and scientific organizations, among other mechanisms. Although the programs identified are the formal assistance programs that ORD funds, there are periodic RFAs/RFIPs disseminated on other topics that are not part of the formal program. These new programs are also part of 66.510 but cannot be presently identified. Funds may be available to support activities including but not limited to experiments, surveys, studies, investigations, public education programs, and monitoring where authorized by specific statutes, in both science and engineering disciplines. Please check the Federal Register or the EPA/ORD website http://www.epa.gov/ord/htm/grantopportunity.htm for an updated listing of these programs. Additional information may be available through the Grants.gov website (http://www.grants.gov/). Completed applications must be submitted to the appropriate Grants Management Office at the Environmental Protection Agency or as shown in the specific RFAs/RFIPs, which are accessible through the EPA/ORD website at http://www.epa.gov/ord/htm/grantopportunity.htm. Applicants may be able to use http://www.grants.gov to electronically apply for certain grant opportunities under this CFDA.

Award Procedure (093):

For competitive awards, EPA will review and evaluate applications, proposals, and/or submissions in accordance with the terms, conditions, and criteria stated in the competitive announcement. Competitions will be conducted in accordance with EPA policies/regulations for competing assistance agreements. Customarily, applicants are notified about award decisions within six months of the solicitation deadline. After being recommended for award, applicants will be required to submit additional certifications and an electronic version of the revised project abstract, and may be requested to provide responses to comments or suggestions offered by the peer reviewers, a revised budget, past performance documentation, and/or make appropriate revisions. EPA Project Officers will contact Principal Investigators to obtain these materials. The official notification of an award will be made by the Agency's Grants and Interagency Agreements Management Division. Before or after award, certain applicants will be expected to provide additional quality assurance documentation.

Deadlines (094):

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time (095):

Appeals (096):

Renewals (097):

Assistance Consideration (100)

Formula and Matching Requirements (101):

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance (102):

Post Assistance Requirements (110)

Reports (111):

No program reports are required. No cash reports are required. EPA includes reporting requirements for grants and cooperative agreements in the terms and conditions of the agreements. Agreements may require quarterly, interim, and final progress reports, and financial, equipment, and invention reports. Reporting requirements are also identified in 2 CFR 200 and 1500. Progress reports are required under this program. A discussion of expenditures is required in progress reports under this program. Perfromance Monitoring is required under this program.

Audits (112):

In accordance with the provisions of 2 CFR 200, Subpart F - Audit Requirements, non-Federal entities that expend financial assistance of $750,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Non-Federal entities that expend less than $750,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in 2 CFR 200.503. Grants and cooperative agreements are subject to inspections and audits by the Comptroller General of the United States, the EPA Office of Inspector General, other EPA staff, or any authorized representative of the Federal government. Reviews by the EPA Project Officer and the Grants Specialist may occur each year.

Records (113):

The record retention requirements of 2 CFR Part 200 apply. Financial records, including all documents to support entries on accounting records and to substantiate charges to each grant, must be kept available to personnel authorized to examine EPA grant accounts. All records must be maintained until three years from the date of submission of the final expenditure report. If questions still remain, such as those raised as a result of audit, related records should be retained until the matter is completely resolved.

Financial Information (120)

Account Identification (121):

Obligations (122):

Range and Average of Financial Assistance (123):

Program Accomplishments (130):

Fiscal Year 2015: Four grant/cooperative agreement type of awards were made for Fiscal Year 2015. The majority of the awards were in support of scientific research conferences with the remainder being competitive awards. The data for the number of applications received as well as the specific information on the awardee is available through the EPA Grants Award. Database. https://www.usaspending.gov/transparency/Pages/AgencySummary.aspx?AgencyCode=6800. Fiscal Year 2016: An estimated 6 grant/cooperative agreements may be made in Fiscal Year (FY) 2016. Data on the number of applications received and the exact number of awards made in FY 2016 are not available. Summary information of the funded research is available in the USA Spending.GOV website.

Database.https://www.usaspending.gov/transparency/Pages/AgencySummary.aspx?AgencyCode=6800. Fiscal Year 2017: No Current Data Available

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature (140):

Information Contacts (150)

Regional or Local Office (151) :

Headquarters Office (152):

Website Address (153):

Related Programs (160):

Examples of Funded Projects (170):

Criteria for Selecting Proposals (180):

Contact Information

Website:

Regional or Local Office:

Headquarters Office:

General Information

Assistance Types:

Applicant Eligibilty:

14-State (includes District of Columbia, public institutions of higher education and hospitals)/ 36-Environment (water, air, solid waste, pesticides, radiation)
15-Local (includes State-designated lndian Tribes, excludes institutions of higher education and hospitals/ 36-Environment (water, air, solid waste, pesticides, radiation)
20-Public nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals)/ 36-Environment (water, air, solid waste, pesticides, radiation)
22-Federally Recognized lndian Tribal Governments/ 36-Environment (water, air, solid waste, pesticides, radiation)
23-U.S. Territories and possessions (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals)/ 36-Environment (water, air, solid waste, pesticides, radiation)
31-Individual/Family/ 36-Environment (water, air, solid waste, pesticides, radiation)
36-Private nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals)/ 36-Environment (water, air, solid waste, pesticides, radiation)

Beneficiary Eligibilty: